WEST SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Brent Rooker doesn't plan to change his approach at the plate for the Home Run Derby.
''I mean, look, just about every swing I've ever taken in my life I've been trying to hit a home run,'' the Athletics slugger said. ''It's not like I have to change too much in that regard, but I did get out here early yesterday and got a feel for a 3-minute round to kind of feel the timing of it.''
Rooker and New York Yankees second baseman Jazz Chisholm Jr. were added Thursday to the list of derby participants, completing the eight-player field. The event will take place Monday night in Atlanta ahead of Tuesday night's All-Star Game.
Rooker will become the first Athletics player in the Home Run Derby since Matt Olson in 2021.
''I think it's going to be fun," Rooker said. ''I'm looking forward to it. As a kid growing up, that was one of the highlights of the summer was watching the Home Run Derby and seeing the guys participate.''
The 30-year-old Rooker entered Thursday with a .270 batting average, 19 homers and 50 RBIs, putting him on pace for a third straight season of at least 30 homers. He went deep 30 times in 2023 and had 39 homers in 2024.
His 58 homers since the start of the 2024 season rank him third among American League players.
Joe Caruso, Rooker's longtime youth coach, will pitch to him. A's manager Mark Kotsay joked with Rooker that he should have asked him, but Rooker said he ''respected my manager's four-day break.''